NSUI Sparks Protests at Saurashtra University Over GCAS

Rajkot, Gujarat – Tension gripped Saurashtra University as members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a vociferous protest, demanding the cancellation of the Gujarat Common Admission Service (GCAS) portal, immediate declaration of pending B.Com Semester-1 results, and the announcement of the Ph.D. entrance exam—which has been on hold for two years.

Slogans like “GCAS means Kankas!” echoed across the campus as NSUI workers accused the university and state authorities of deliberate mismanagement, jeopardizing the future of thousands of students.

“The examination department of Saurashtra University has collapsed,” said Narendra Solanki, Gujarat Region NSUI President. “The B.Com Semester-1 exam was held in January 2025, and the results haven’t been declared even after six months. This is nothing short of academic harassment.”

Solanki warned that if their demands are not met soon, the RSS event scheduled for July 4 at the university will face intense opposition.

GCAS Portal Draws Fierce Backlash

The GCAS portal, introduced for centralized admissions into 15 government universities in Gujarat, was another flashpoint. NSUI alleges that the portal has created more confusion than convenience, making the admission process needlessly complex and prone to delays.

“For two years now, GCAS has been a tool to harass students,” Solanki added. “It’s a conspiracy to deprive students of a fair and transparent admission process. We’ve submitted a memorandum to the Education Minister via the Vice Chancellor demanding its cancellation from next academic year.”

Demand to Announce Ph.D. Entrance Exam by July 30

NSUI also slammed the university for not conducting the Ph.D. entrance exam for two consecutive years, even though other universities like Gujarat University, Sardar Patel University, and Veer Narmad South Gujarat University continue to do so.

Solanki questioned the system by citing the example of Gujarat’s Education Minister,“If Education Minister Praful Panseria cleared the Ph.D. entrance exam and got admission, how can that process be wrong? We demand that the university declare the entrance exam by July 30, or we’ll launch a strong protest.”

VC Admits Slow GCAS Process, Defers Ph.D. Decision

Responding to the uproar, Vice Chancellor Dr. Utpal Joshi acknowledged that the GCAS process is sluggish but added that around 39,000 students have already been admitted into undergraduate courses through it.

Regarding the Ph.D. entrance, Dr. Joshi said,“The UGC has introduced a Category-C NET exam for Ph.D. aspirants. A committee is reviewing whether Saurashtra University should conduct a separate entrance or not. A decision will be made soon.”

He also assured students that pending results are being declared as swiftly as possible.